tness. How I will revel in
his cobwebs and subtleties, till my brain spins!

N.B. I have writ in the old Hamlet, offer it to Mitford in my name, if
he have not seen it. Tis woefully below our editions of it. But keep it,
if you like. (What is M. to me?)

I do not mean this to go for a letter, only to apprize you, that the
parcel is booked for you this 25 March 1829 from the Four Swans
Bishopsgate.

With both our loves to Lucy and A.K. Yours Ever

C.L.

["Darley's... poem"--_Sylvia; or, The May Queen_, by George Darley.

"Christmas"--a poem by Edward Moxon, dedicated to Lamb.

"Field's Appendix"--_Geographical Memoirs on New South Wales_, edited by
Barron Field, with his _First-Fruits of Australian Poetry_ as Appendix.

The old romance, Dr. Paget Toynbee points out, is _Les Dous Amanz_ of
Marie of France, which Lamb had read in Miss Betham's metrical
translation, _The Lay of Marie_.]

LETTER 481

CHARLES LAMB TO MISS SARAH JAMES

[No date. ? April, 1829.]

We have just got your letter. I think Mother Reynolds will go on
quietly, Mrs. Scrimpshaw having kittened. The name of the late Laureat
was Henry James Pye, and when his 1st Birthday Ode came out, which was
very poor, somebody being asked his opinion of it, said:--

And when the Pye was open'd
The birds began to sing,
And was not this a dainty dish
To set before the King!

Pye was brother to old Major Pye, and father to Mrs. Arnold, and uncle
to a General Pye, all friends of Miss Kelly. Pye succeeded Thos. Warton,
Warton succeeded Wm. Whitehead, Whitehead succeeded Colley Cibber,
Cibber succeeded Eusden, Eusden succeeded Thos. Shadwell, Shadwell
succeeded Dryden, Dryden succeeded Davenant, Davenant God knows whom.
There never was a Rogers a Poet Laureat; there is an old living Poet of
that name, a Banker as you know, Author of the "Pleasures of Memory,"
where Moxon goes to breakfast in a fine house in the green Park, but he
was never Laureat. Southey is the present one, and for anything I know
or care, Moxon may succeed him. We have a copy of "Xmas" for you, so you
may give your own to Mary as soon as you please. We think you need not
have exhibited your mountain shyness before M.B. He is neither shy
himself, nor patronizes it in others.--So with many thanks, good-bye.
Emma comes on Thursday. C.L.

The Poet Laureat, whom Davenant succeeded was Rare 'Ben